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an image (I Sam. xxi. 10). Moreover, supposing that Gideon's ephod was an image, the carrying of such a weight as is stated to have been the amount of the booty was beyond the power of a priest. In all cases but this, the ephod was made to be worn, and the ephod is never mentioned among the forbidden representations. Some auppoae that the gold was used merely as a plating; in that case how massive moat Gideon's ephod have been to require 1,700 shekels to cover it! And another terminology is employed to express such images (Ex. xx. 23, xxxii. 31). It is unlikely, too, that the same word would denote an image and a part of the priest's regalia, while a distinction is made between that and a linen ephod. Duhm's explanation of it as a golden mask which the priest put on is equally untenable (Das Buch Jesaiah, p. 200, Gottingen, 1892). Since other peoples made articles of clothing richly decorated to put on the images of their deities, it is not inconceivable that the Hebrews did the same.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: T. C. Foots, The Ephod, in Johns Hopkins University Circulars, Baltimore, 1900; idem, in JBL, 1902, pp. 1-48; B. Ugolini, Thesaurus ant%quitatam aacrarum, Idi. 785 eqq., Venice, 1744-89; w. Baudissin, Geaehichfe des altteatamenUichen Prieaterthume, pp. 205 eqq., Leipsic, 1889; P. de Lagatde, in Abhaudlungen der G5ttixiger Geaellachaft der Wiaaenschaften~ 1889, 175; Benzinger, Archr<ologie, p. 382; Nowack, Archhologie, ii. 21 eqq., 118 eqq.; G. F. Moors, Judges, p. 381, New York, 1895: E. 8ellin, BeitrSge zur iaraelitiachen and judiachen Religions-Geschichte II, i. 119-120, Leipsie, 1897; A. van Hoonseker, Le 3acerdoce Muitique, pp. 370 eqq., Louvain, 1899; DB, i. 725-727; EB, ii. 1308-09; JE, v. 185-187.

EPHRAEM (EPH:REM) SYRUS ("Ephraim the

Syrian "; Syriac 'Aphrern) : Theologian, exegete,

and homiliat; b. at or near Nisibis, in the begin

ning of the fourth century; d. probably near

Edessa, possibly in June, 373, but the dates 378

and 379 are also given. His father is said to have

been the priest of a deity or idol named Abnil or

Abizal destroyed by Justinian. He was converted

to Christianity by Bishop Jacob of Nisibis, with

whom he is said to have attended the Council of

Nica'a. He lived at Niaibis until 363, when he

took up his residence near Edeasa as an anchorite.

He is said to have visited Basil of Caesarea, to have

been ordained deacon by him, and to have declined

further ecclesiastical advancement. He went to

Egypt and there remained for eight

Life. years, preaching to the monks in their

own language. Shortly before his

death he appeared as a public benefactor in the

midst of a famine by opening a hospital for the

sick in the monastery. His will forbade his

burial in a church, and directed that he should be

The works of Ephraem were very numerous, according to Sozomen some 3,000,000 stichoi, a great part of which consisted of sermons and lectures. They do not easily separate into classes, though a provisional division is into exegetical, dogmaticpolemic, and poetical. In the latter branch he is credited with the invention of the " Controversial Hymn," called by Burkitt a " melancholy addition." From the standpoint of the intrinsic worth of the writings it is difficult to explain the great repute of this Father. The value consists in the

fact that the great number of the Exeget- productions and their excellent preaical Works. ervation afford many means of in-

sight into the life and thought of the Church of his period. But Ephraxm was prolix and repetitious, so that there is really little to reward the student for examination of his work. The difficulty in securing data is enhanced by the fact that many works ascribed to him are not his, and much of the work done upon Ephraem has to be done over in the light of better information, especially that gained from the Armenian version of his writings. Thus the examination of the New Testament quotations of Ephraem by F. H. Woods (Sttcdia biblica et ecclesiastics, Vol. iii., Oxford, 1891) was revised by F. C. Burkitt (Ephraim's Quotations from. the Gospel, in TS, vii. 2, 1901). In his exegetical work upon the Gospels his basis was Tatian's Diatessaron (cf. J. H. Hill, Dissertation on the Gospel Commentary of S. Ephraem the Syrian, Edinburgh, 1896). That in his work on the Acts he used a " Western " text has been shown by J. R. Harris (Four Lectures on the Western Text, Cambridge, 1894, pp. 23 aqq.). His Commentary upon Zechariah has been studied by Lamy (Revue biblique, 1897). Burkitt asserts that Revelation is not referred to in Ephraem's exegetical works.

The theological writings are less valuable for their contributions to theology than for their reference to the heresies of the time. In the biog-

raphy it appears that no less than Theo- nine arose in Edeasa during his times logical sad and that he combated them all,

his theology is best seen in his " Sermon on our Lord " (in T. J. Lamy, i. 145-274; Eng. transl. in NPNF, 2d ser., xiii. 305-330). This is a treatise on the incarnation; but the language is highly figurative and a clear idea of Ephraem's